Auxiliary lighting fixture



Nov. 27, 1945. w. F..BURKE AUXILIARY LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed July 7, 1944v umilllmi IIIIIHW/ 14 INVENTOR VWLL/AM E 309 415,

Patented Nov. 27, 1945 William F. Burke, Athens, -hio,= assignor' to The McBee Company, Athens, Ohio, a'co'rporation Application J uly 7, 1944, S'erial'No. 543,802

1' Claim.

This "invention "relates to illuminating systems and particularly pertains to an auxiliaryillumihating fixture.

Particularly 'in the operating rooms ofhospitals, it is absolutely essential that the illumina'tionbeuninterrupted. Because-of 'the possibility of failureof the main source of-illumina tion, it is essential to provide a fstand-bysource for use during the interruption of the main service.

It is one object of my present invention toprovide anzim proved and simplified-auxiliary lighting fixture having a battery as-a source of current, the circuit of which fixture isso interconnected and controlled by a separate circuit of the main source of current,- that when the latter circuit isclosed; the circuit of the auxiliary lighting fixture remains open, but when no current is flowing through said separate circuit of the main source of current, the circuit of said auxiliary lighting fixture automatically closes to provide illumination.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple auxiliary lighting fixture which includes a removable self contained lighting unit which will automatically illuminate when a main circuit is interrupted, which lighting unit may be then removed from the fixture and used.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved auxiliary lighting fixture.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section through the switch mechanism of the auxiliary lighting fixture.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, l0 indicates my improved auxiliary lighting fixture. This fixture com-prises a channel shaped wall bracket H, the le s l2 of which are turned outwardly as illustrated, so that it may be properly fastened to a wall by any desired means. The web l4 of the channel bracket II will be disposed parallel to the wall surface at a spaced distance therefrom. The upper end of this web I4 is notched at its upper end to enable engagement of the webby a hook member I6 secured at the rear side of a light casing ll. By this means the light casing I! may be suspended from the bracket l I in a vertical position as illus- The light casing I 'l in reality comprises a self contained lighting unit similar to what is commonly termed a flashlight -and itis intended that it be removably incorporated in the entire fixture as illustrated. It will-be noticed thatsecured-onthe wall bracket ll adjacent-its=.lower end is a socketmember l 8-Within which-the lower end of the casing ll may nest. The nestingof the lower endofthe casing ll in-the socket member I 8 together with the engagement of the clip l6 withthe webofthechanneLbrack'et -lI removably supports-the casing l1 in-the correct position.

The upper end 'of the light casing- H is formed with light emitting opening l 9 disposed-.- at -.-to

thellongitudinalaxis of-the casing l l. -This open ing is enclosed 1 bya lens-as illustrated. -In register with the opening l9 and within the casing I1 is the usual reflector 20 and light bulb 2|.

Contained within the casing ll, in the usual manner, are batteries 22. The batteries 22 and the light bulb 2| having a circuit the same as ordinary flashlights, which circuit is controlled by a switch in the lower end of the casing as illustrated, which switch comprises a switch part 23 in contact with the batteries 22 and a switch part 24 which is maintained insulated from the batteries by an insulating washer 25. However,. this latter switch arm 24 is in contact with the: casing l1 through a spring 25 so that when the:

switch parts 23 and 24 are in contact, a circuit is: established from the casing through the batteries to the light bulb 2| and from the bulb to the casing, completing the circuit.

In the present instance, I provide a medium for maintaining said switch open when current is flowing through a separate electrical circuit I which would be the circuit conducting the main source of current for illumination to a hospital operating room or the like.

Connected with this circuit by means of a connector 2B is an electro-magnet 21 secured in the socket I8 in alignment with the casing ll b neath the switch mechanism previously described. The core or plunger 28 of electro-magnet 21 projects into the casing 11 and is disposed in cooperative position with the switch part 24 so that when the electro-magnet is energized, the core or plunger 28 will be in a position opening the switch by maintaining the switch part 24 out of contact with the switch part 23 as shown in Fig. 3. However, when the circuit through the electro-magnet 21 is opened or no current is flowing therethrough, the core 28 will move to an inefi'ective position causing contact between the switch part 24 and 23 and completing the battery circuit through the bulb 2| and providing illumination through the light emitting opening 19. The electro-magnet is secured in position on the bracket I I by means of the bail shaped socket member l8 forming a part of the bracket l I.

At the top of the bracket 1 l, I have provided a hinged shield 29 which may be disposed to shield the light emitting opening I 9 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and'2, or which may be swung to an ineffective position as is obvious from those figures.

In operation of the device, it is constructed as illustrated in the drawing and mounted on an f upright surface in the desired position. The electro-magnet 27 is then interposed in the circuit of the main source of illumination by means of the connector 26. When current is'fiowing in this circuit, the electro-magnet 21 will be energized and will maintain the switch of the battery circuit of the auxiliary lighting fixture open. However, the minute that the current ceases to flow in the main circuit and to the electro-magnet 21, the core 28 thereof will descend, closing the switch of the auxiliary lighting fixture, illuminating the bulb 2| and automatically providing a secondary source of illumination.

Obviously, when the main source of illumination is out ofi the room would be in total darkness except, of course, for the illumination of the auxiliary'lighting fixture. This, of course, will not only provide a source of illumination for the room but will enable the occupants of the room to definitely locate the auxiliary fixture.

If it is desired to remove the auxiliary fixture to provide a more local illumination at any point, it is merely necessary to grasp'the casin I! and remove it from the socket l8 and disengage the .clip I6 from the web of the bracket II. The

switch, of course, controlling the circuit of the auxiliary fixture will remain closed due to the fact that the switch mechanism as previously described is normally closed.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive auxiliary lighting fixture, the circuit of which is so associated with the circuit of a main and separate source of energy for illumination, that when said separate circuit is open, the circuit of the lighting fixture will be closed and vice versa.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made therein by those skilled in th art without departin from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A lighting fixture of the character described, comprising a wall bracket, a bail shaped member on the bracket forming a socket, a cylindrical casing having a lower end to project into said socket, means for detachably connecting the casing to said bracket, abattery contained within said casing, said casing having a light emitting opening, an electrical bulb mounted in said casing in register with said opening, an electrical .circuit including said battery and light bulb, a normally closed switch included in said circuit and disposed within the casing, an electro-magnet mounted in said bail shaped member on said bracket with its core in operative relation to said switch and capable of maintaining said switch open when said magnet is energized but permitting said switch to close when said magnet is deenergized.

WILLLAM F. BURKE. 

